More ponds, butterflies and birds to enhance and protect Enfield

Enfield Council has proposed to create wetlands at Oakwood Park, Durants Park, Wilbury Way and at Oakthorpe School. The school will also benefit from rain gardens and other sustainable urban drainage systems.Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Rick Jewell, said: “These wetlands are wonderful. They will improve and enhance biodiversity by creating amazing wetland habitats. Importantly they will clean dirty run-off water and reduce flows into rivers, reducing the risk of flooding to homes in areas such as Edmonton and Ponders End.“The works will also deliver a number of wider benefits by enhancing green spaces and providing opportunities for education and volunteering. We know that by providing green, open spaces for leisure, we will help boost physical and mental wellbeing which is good for residents and communities.”  The wetlands programme aligns closely with Enfield Council’s Blue and Green Strategy and Climate Action Plan. These pledge to improve the quality and usability of existing green spaces and to create better access to them for all of Enfield’s residents and visitors.The projects will be delivered this financial year (2022-23) by Enfield Council’s award winning Watercourses team which has received national recognition for its wetland projects at Firs Farm and Enfield Town among others. To keep up to date with these projects, sign up to Enfield Council’s newsletters at www.enfield.gov.uk/enewsletters .

Wilbury Wetlands is still subject to planning permissions.

Funding for the proposals has come from a variety of sources, including from Enfield Council’s capital programme and the Mayor of London’s Grow Back Greener fund, that aims to create and enhance green spaces and to combat some of the effects of climate change. This fund awarded £75,000 to Oakthorpe School.
Stakeholder engagement has been carried out for all four sites with partner organisations, including the Environment Agency, Transport for London, Thames21 and Thames Water.  Public consultations were carried out for the three sites that are accessible to the public and these have all received high support.
For press enquiries please contact Andrea De Lucy on [email protected] / 020 8132 0065